N19 Cafe, Holloway Road

I came in the early evening and sat down with my strong little cup of coffee to watch the sea of humanity on Holloway Road flow by - families, workers, couples, old folk, kids, joggers, bikes, cars, lorries, buses. Lavazza Americano is served in a little white enamel cup. Midge Ure on the radio and he's actually quite interesting talking about how he got to become the singer in Ultravox but inevitably all the presenter wants to know about is Bob Geldoff and Live Aid. The melancholy-eyed woman sweeping up is half listening to it then a bloke comes in and says it's time to shut up now so I go a bit further down the road, about 100 yards, for a similar coffee where 80s power ballads are blaring out and at a nearby table a young woman is talking very loudly about her girlfriend and travel escapades and how she could never have sex with a bloke. "Urgh, the thought!" she says as her quiet friend tries to calm her agitated baby.